MatchLog is challenging a decades-old logistics norm and empty container miles by directly matching import flows with export demand. Indeed, the platform is unlocking measurable cost savings, cutting emissions and driving structural change in landside operations. Dhruv Taneja, Founder and Global CEO, outlines the quantified impact, adoption  journey and the evolving future of container reuse in an exclusive interview with Construction World. MatchLog has partnered with carriers such as Maersk, ONE and HMM in India. Could you share quantified outcomes from one specific corridor, including reduction in empty runs, turnaround time and cost savings?India handles about 20 million TEUs annually across import, export and transhipment flows. When containers are optimised through MatchLog, the overall efficiency gain is about 40 per cent. After accounting for platform fees and operational adjustments, stakeholders still realise roughly 20 per cent optimisation in the end-to-end flow. On a match-back basis, we are able to match 30 per cent of incoming volumes. So, if 100 containers come in, we successfully match about 30 per cent directly with export demand. The biggest saving comes from eliminating two dry runs, one on the import leg and one on the export leg. That directly reduces fuel usage, driver time and idle asset days.What measurable reduction in fuel consumption and carbon emissions has your street-turn model delivered, and how are you tracking and validating these sustainability metrics?Our measurement framework is built inhouse using established global standards. In EXIM logistics, routes, factories and ports are fixed, making distance and fuel modelling linear and measurable. We know the exact kilometres covered and the vehicle type involved. Since containers and trucks are independent units, we can accurately calculate avoided distance when two empty legs are eliminated. Reductions are tracked using standard gross vehicle and fuel consumption parameters. Given the predictable landside network, measurement is more straightforward than in domestic cargo. Since July 2019, we have achieved close to 50,000 tonne of carbon emission reduction – our biggest milestone to date.Following integration with Softlink Global’s Logi-Sys ERP, what operational efficiencies have clients experienced in day-to-day logistics planning?Softlink reflects our broader collaboration approach – working with ecosystem partners rather than rebuilding existing systems. Through integration, customers can access container matching within their current workflows. The goal extends beyond technical alignment to expanding container reuse across geographies. Discussions with Softlink, for instance, support entry into markets such as the Philippines, enabling their customer base to leverage our matching capabilities. For us, efficiency scales by embedding matching into existing systems, not by adding operational layers. What were the key barriers to adopting digital container reuse, and what gave you the conviction to pursue it?The container has existed since 1956, and so has the inefficiency of one-sided cargo and one-sided empty movement. While running India’s largest container depot business, I saw containers return empty from Pune to Mumbai and then go back again for export loading. It was clear wastage. The conviction came from witnessing that inefficiency firsthand.Adoption required major change management. Shipping lines are decades old, transporters were earning on full round trips and many stakeholders felt, ‘Things are fine. Why change?’ We had to show it was a win-win model – no one loses revenue, utilisation improves and environmental gains follow. The first five years were challenging but sustained engagement helped build trust. Today, the network effect is strengthening.As you scale across ports and into Singapore, how do you ensure execution consistency, data integrity and ecosystem-wide trust?India remains our primary focus, where we aim to build scale while forming strong international collaborations. We operate our own office in Singapore as a Southeast Asia hub and are exploring Dubai as a Middle East base. In markets such as Australia, New Zealand and North America, expansion is partnership-led. Execution consistency is driven by scaling the platform, not headcount. The data we use is non-commercial and non-sensitive – mainly container volumes, sizes and timelines. Improved landside visibility helps address structural container imbalance.How do you see container reuse evolving over the next three to five years as supply chains recalibrate and digital infrastructure strengthens?The core challenge is limited visibility on the landside. Stakeholders often lack clarity on incoming volumes, container availability and export bookings. If the ecosystem shares basic, non-sensitive data such as volumes, sizes and timelines, container imbalance can be managed more effectively. Better visibility enables alignment between import flows, export demand and required inventory. While global imbalances will continue due to structural factors, greater landside transparency can substantially reduce domestic inefficiencies over the next three to five years.